Electric Replica

I bought a little Request 020 replica kit during the Concours night at the 2011 SAM Champs in Boulder NV. An idea began to form. Why not get those 020 Free Flight Replica models to fly on brushed or brushless with the only battery limitation a 2S LiPo of any capacity? I thought we could limit the span to 36". My research on those kits (I have five or six just sitting there.) shows they all came in at that span, near it or under. Then, someone could do a plan of a Lanzo Airborne even if a kit or its accompanying plan was not available. The thing that makes this possible is the current availability of micro 2.4 receivers, servos, speed controllers for brushless, and inexpensive 2S LiPos in the 180 mAh capacity.

This photo shows my 020 replica kit of the Comet Sailplane. Let's get these gems out of the box and into the skies!

Richard Dick - a club member in the Albuquerque Soaring Association - had asked me if his little 020 Replica of the Brooklyn Dodger was eligible to fly in Spirit Of SAM. I had to admit that it can't under the present rules. SOS models are based on rubber powered old timers. It seemed unfair that he could not fly that pretty little model in a SAM event.

Vic Newton (co-founder and flying buddy) volunteered to help me with testing and creation of rules in time for the Southwest Regionals at Eloy, AZ in January of 2012. We will finish our E36 Electric Replica models and encourage others to build for the event. Good friend and SAM 117 member, Jack Hiner, vetted our first rules draft and he likes the simplicity of the event.

I'm sticking my neck out here and will personally buy and present trophies to the first three places at the Southwest Regionals in January 2012.

And now the details:

Electric Replica: a new remote-controlled provisional event for old timers

Goals:

Encourage the building and flying of remote-controlled, replica models of fuel-powered, SAM-legal models. There are many kits and plans available for the current Replica .020 Power event. The advent of reliable, reasonably-priced, micro radio control components makes this class workable and affordable. Added to that is the availability of small brushless in-runner and out-runner electric motors coupled with inexpensive LiPo batteries and inherently safe chargers now on the market.

The Model:

1. Not to exceed 36” in wingspan projected.
2. Replica Model of any fuel-powered model kitted or built from plans published by December 31, 1942.
3. Motor - any electric brushed or brushless in-runner or out-runner
4. Battery - a 2 cell lithium polymer battery of any capacity
5. Propeller - fixed, no folding propellers
6. Landing Gear - Two-wheel landing gear may be substituted for a single wheel.
7. Construction - Construction is at the discretion of the builder.
8. Airfoil - Airfoils may be modified, but must retain the characteristic shape of the original, i.e., RAF 32 Type, 6409 type, Single Surface type, Clark Y type etc.

Flight Task:

1. Motor Run - Motor run is 120 seconds. A restart of the motor after 120 seconds results in a zero score for that flight. This time may be changed at the discretion of the Contest Director.
2. The model’s score is the sum of the best two of three flights (10 minute max). In the event of more than one competitor achieving two maximum flights, at the discretion of the Contest Director, the winner may be determined by a fly off.